


Scorpius' Wedding

by zhem1x5



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Father-Son Relationship, HP: Epilogue Compliant, Harry Potter Next Generation, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 21:21:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4537806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhem1x5/pseuds/zhem1x5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a long road to happiness. For everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scorpius' Wedding

**Author's Note:**

> In desperate need of some fluff, this was written for Valentine's Day 2013.

Draco straightened Scorpius' already immaculate collar, smoothing his tie and pinning it in place with an emerald pin. It had been a gift from his mother at his own second engagement party and had seemed like the perfect choice to pass on to his son. The fact that it matched Harry's-and the bride's- eyes only helped.

He met Scorpius' familiar grey eyes with a soft smile. "I can't believe we're standing here already. I thought we'd have more time."

"Dad," Scorpius sighed, quirking his own grin and looking down to fiddle with his cufflinks. "I'm 26. The age you should have been when you and Harry finally got your heads out of your arses and looked around for what would really make you happy."

"Are you happy," Draco couldn't help asking, always unsure but desperate to provide his son's every joy.

"I'm," Scorpius breathed, a trembling smile breaking across his face. He shook his head. "There are no words, Dad." 

 

Draco stared at the crying infant in his arms, terrified to move for fear of upsetting him more than he already was. He was so small, his tiny fingers and toes clenched in his fury, in the world only days and already abandoned by one of the people who was supposed to love him unconditionally.

"Please, Scorpius, please. I don't know what to do," he whispered urgently, heart breaking as his son cried. "I don't know how to fix this."

He cradled the baby carefully, awkward and self-conscious. "It's okay, Daddy's here. Daddy will take care of everything. That's what he's here for, isn't it," he asked, rocking his precious bundle carefully. "He just doesn't know how yet." 

 

"Why that day of all days," Draco mocked, his disdain for the sentimental idea coloring every word.

"Rose says it's almost tradition."

"That's because the entire family are blood--y liberal minded," Draco covered quickly, grimacing at how easily the old words came to his tongue when he was upset.

"Father," Scorpius sighed, shaking his head in resignation. "Have you told Dad?"

"You said you wanted to," Draco answered, grateful to verbally ignore his slip.

"Will you come with me," Scorpius asked softly. "I know he's my Dad, but it's Rose, and he might not like-"

"Scorpius, he loves you. He loves her. He wouldn't begrudge her marrying into the family when he has as well."

Scorpius nodded, his hands twisting at his sides. "I just want you both to be proud of me," he finally admitted.

"We are," Draco whispered, voice cracking despite himself. "Irrevocably."

 

Draco watched the Hogwarts Express disappear in a lingering fog, his heart aching with what he knew was only the first of many goodbyes. His son was growing up, eleven years passing in what seemed to be only a blink. Growing up, moving on, just as his mother had always lamented Draco's doing.

He swallowed guiltily, regretting what he had put his mother through and hoping Scorpius would be a better son. Draco took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. His son was a better son than he had been, would be a better man, Draco would see to it.

He turned away from the fading smoke, catching the curious gaze of Harry Potter. Draco froze, his jaw tightening, before collecting himself enough to nod courteously and not make his haste toward the Apparition point too terribly obvious. Malfoys ran from nothing.

 

He could feel the difference in the air as soon as his son stepped foot in the Manor. It was like the very walls echoed his breath of relief.

He plastered on a welcoming smile, straightening his robes before going down to meet his son and his guest. Draco supposed he should be glad at least of the forewarning, but Scorpius had never asked to bring someone home with him and it made him unaccountably nervous. Their family history was still bared for all the world to see and Draco didn't want the impious nature of it to destroy Scorpius' chance at friendship and happiness.

"Dad," Scorpius shouted as Draco came down the main staircase and Draco couldn't help grinning. It was in his head to chastise his son for being so loud in the house and maybe even mourn the loss of Daddy from his son's vocabulary but he couldn't bring himself to embarrass Scorpius.

His smile was true when he dragged Scorpius into his arms, embracing him for only a moment before letting go enough that Scorpius could release him if he wanted.

Scorpius squeezed him tighter and Draco held on too.

"I've missed you, I'm sorry I wasn't there," he whispered, pushing Scorpius away to give him a critical once over. "You've grown, I would hardly recognize you." He shook his head in mock regret before ruffling Scorpius' hair.

"Dad," Scorpius huffed, smoothing the white blond strands again. "Dad, I want you to meet Al. Albus Potter. He says you know his dad."

Whatever greeting had been on the tip of his tongue disappeared as Draco looked at the absolute spitting image of an eleven year old Harry Potter.

Scorpius prodded him, looking like he was already regretting bringing his friend home, and Draco steeled himself.

He stepped forward, extending his hand like he had what felt like a century before, and tried not to think. "Welcome to our home, Albus. It's a pleasure to have you here."

"Al," the boys answered quickly, shaking Draco's hand and automatically setting himself apart from his older doppelganger. "It's amazing to be here. Scor has told me all about your home."

Draco's smile turned into something of a grimace. "I'm glad you chose to accompany him anyway," he said self-deprecatingly.

"I told him I would ground him if he let something so trivial interfere with his friendship," a new voice spoke up from behind him.

An answering smirk was on Draco's face before he turned to find Harry Potter stepping into the entryway, a small trunk in one hand.

 

"Draco, you know Rosie's a good girl. Weasley though she is," Harry muttered, his arms crossed over his chest because sometimes the old urges weren't old anymore and he remembered that it was still Draco Malfoy he was dealing with. Centuries of pure-blood feuding still ran through his veins though at least it seemed as though it would end with him.

Harry knew it was a testament to the sort of father Draco was, the sort of man he had grown to be, that his son could even consider falling for a girl whose family had always been at odds with his own. It didn't mean the urge to throttle the other man never came up.

"I know," Draco sighed, a dismayed pout forming on his face.

 

"Dad," his son called softly.

"Mm," Draco answered absently, eyes tracking over numbers that were just not adding up like they should no matter how he figured them.

"Daddy?"

Anymore his son only called him that when he was feeling afraid or uncertain. Draco dropped his ledger, giving his son his undivided attention only to watch the boy fidget and linger in his doorway. "What is it, son?"

Scorpius' silence unnerved him, the boy was usually unnaturally boisterous. Especially for a Malfoy. And Draco couldn't remember it being an attribute he would've ascribed to Scorpius' mother either.

"Are you alright," he settled on asking, folding the earpieces of his glasses together carefully only to toss them onto his desk carelessly. "Night terror?"

"No," Scorpius murmured, shaking his head slowly but finally taking a step into Draco's office. It was rare that Draco allowed him into what had become his sanctuary and almost prison, but on nights like tonight, Scorpius seemed to know he would be granted access. Draco hadn't ever been allowed in his own father's office. 

"I wanted to ask, you just seem," Scorpius shook his head again, frowning down at his bare feet.

His toes had to be cold on the ancient stone. Draco beckoned him further into the room, onto the carpet. "What," he asked when Scorpius had taken a seat in one of the other chairs.

"It's just, is something going on with you and Mr. Potter? Only Al wants to know, he says you both get googly-eyed around each other."

 

"They know, Potter," Draco hissed into the Floo, his eyes darting between Harry Potter in his fireplace and the open door of the library. He knew from his own experience that closed or cracked doors only encouraged eavesdropping while an open door made it almost impossible to hide for any length of time.

"So," Potter asked, adjusting his glasses and blinking into the flickering flames.

"They know!" Draco said again as though that would make all the difference, his voice hitting a higher register than he would ever admit to.

"We were going to tell them soon anyway," Potter tried to reason and only irritating Draco more as he covered a yawn half-heartedly.

"Soon," Draco hedged. "But not tonight or have them tell us!"

"Just calm down, Draco."

Draco stopped, blinking at Pott-Harry's shadowed face. "You called me Draco," he whispered.

Harry smiled at him again. "Go to sleep, Draco. I can be over in the morning," he offered.

"Alright," Draco nodded, smiling carefully. "Good night, Harry."

 

"Dad, I know you know Rosie, we practically grew up together after all...but I want to introduce you to Rose Granger-Weasley, my fiancee. No, that sounds stupid," Scorpius muttered, shaking his head and running his fingers through his hair in frustration. 

He looked himself in the mirror again. "Dad, I have some news.... Dad, the greatest thing has happened... Dad, I know this is a surprise, but.... Dad, I..."

"Scorpius? Did you need me?"

Scorpius jerked around, staring at his father as he stepped into the room. "I, uh..."

Draco smiled, waiting for Scorpius to untie his tongue.

"You better sit down, Dad. I, uh, have something to tell you," he began awkwardly, gesturing to the seats he had rearranged with this very occasion in mind.

"No one's ill or injured, yes," Draco asked carefully, sitting slowly and eying his son's obvious agitation.

"No, nothing like that. I just, uh..."

Draco quirked an eyebrow, amusement bubbling up inside of him as his grown son floundered.

"RoseandIwannagetmarried," Scorpius finally sputtered, looking at Draco, tense and uncertain.

"Pardon," Draco couldn't help asking, his amusement growing as Scorpius gaped at him.

"Rosie and me, we're getting married." His uncertainty was gone, his expression almost fierce and daring his father to say something against it.

Draco looked at him evenly, taking in how grown-up his son had become. "Good." He grinned when Scorpius sagged back into his seat. "Good for you, son."

 

"I think our dads are...like you said," Scorpius whispered to Al, grateful for the cover of darkness because even though they were right it didn't mean it was a good thing.

"Do you mind," Al whispered back, shifting to face Scorpius across the big bed.

"I don't know," Scorpius breathed, his fingers clenching in the lightweight duvet.

"We could be brothers," Al answered, his grin loud in his words.

"We already are," Scorpius reminded him, reaching across the comfortable distance to grab Al's left hand. The scars on their palms lined up easily. "By blood."

 

"Are you okay," Harry asked, sitting down beside Draco on the bed.

"Fine," Draco whispered, rubbing his hands over his arms. "When did he grow up? I think of him as a baby still, with me and only me."

"It's better now, isn't it," Harry murmured, sliding his fingers into Draco's hair. "He has us, and your mum, the Weasleys, Al, and now Rose. It's better."

"Yeah," Draco nodded slowly. "It is better now," he agreed, turning to Harry's waiting arms

 

Scorpius scrubbed his sweaty hands on the sides of the muggle jeans Harry had bought for him. He wasn't normally so nervous around Rosie but today was different. Today was...

She answered the door with a smile, reaching out to take one of his hands in hers and lead him into the house but Scorpius resisted.

"I thought we could take a walk, maybe? It's a beautiful day." It wasn't. It had been raining all morning and now a fine mist hung in the air, promising more before the day was through.

"Are you sure," she asked, brows furrowing as she looked him over. "You're already damp and shivering."

"Nah," he said with a grimace. "A perfect day for a walk." 

"Alright," she said slowly, still looking at him uncertainly. "Let me get my jumper and tell Mum."

He nodded, trying for a smile that was actually a smile. "Idiot," he muttered as soon as she was out of earshot. "Bollixing it up already. She'd be crazy to say yes to such an id-Ready," he asked brightly, watching fondly as she shrugged on the jumper her grandma Weasley had made for her.

"Of course," she answered, letting him take her hand and lead her down the front steps.

There was a small glen down the hill from the back of the house and they headed there without much thought, nervously silent and trading careful glances.

"Scorpius," she began as soon as they were out of view of the house.

"Rose, I-" he stopped, because she was looking at him like she knew what he was going to say and knew it would be bad. "I just-"

"It's okay, Scorpius. I knew your father would never allow it to go on," she spoke softly, looking down at their joined hands.

"What? He loves you," Scorpius shook his head. "Well, Harry does, Dad likes you well enough. Always has."

"Then why are you breaking up with me," she demanded, tears standing in her eyes as she gripped his hand.

"Breaking up? I'm not breaking up with you, I want you to marry me! I mean, uh," Scorpius swallowed loudly before dropping to one knee in the mud. "Will you marry me? Please?"

 

"Al," he began nervously, his arms crossed over his chest because he knew his hands might shake. "Do you, do you think Rosie might go out with me, maybe? Would that be weird?"

"Definitely weird," Al answered immediately, scrunching his face up like he'd eaten something distasteful. "I've known you both forever. What if you got married or something? I couldn't be your best friend anymore."

Scorpius laughed, he couldn't help it. "You idiot, you'll always be my best friend. She'll just be my girlfriend. Completely different."

"Well, okay then," Al nodded. "Just so long as she remembers that I'm the best friend," as though that was all that mattered.

"What a Hufflepuff," Scorpius muttered.

"Hey! You almost Sorted there too," Al shouted, too offended to be quiet even under the ever watchful eye of Madame Pince.

"We should go," Scorpius hissed, watching the old witch lay her ledger down and start in their direction. "Now!" 

 

Scorpius wouldn't look at him, staring at his hands clenched together in his lap rather than focusing on Harry as usual. It was a far cry from his typical badgering over old Auror cases.

Harry sat carefully in the chair across from the boy, fully aware of how much like his dad Scorpius could be. "Can we talk," he asked softly.

"No," Scorpius huffed, turning his head even further away from Harry.

"We wanted to tell you. When the time was right," Harry began awkwardly. "We would have had a speech prepared, I'm kinda at a loss."

"Why won't you leave my dad alone," Scorpius asked softly, glaring at Harry through his fringe. "We were just fine without anybody else."

Harry nodded, accepting the truth of that. "You were, you were both fine as you were. I can only hope that being with me won't make it worse somehow."

He looked down at his own hands, fingers twisted together. "I want to make things better for you both, Scorpius. I want you to know I would never intentionally hurt your dad. Or you."

"I'm sure that's what my mum thought," Scorpius snapped. "What's to stop you deciding you don't like us anymore? Why should we trust that you won't just leave?"

There were tears in those grey eyes and Harry hoped Draco had no idea his son felt this way, that Scorpius had never said any of this to him.

"I can't promise anything really, no one can. I can't promise that your dad won't make me leave or that you'll always want me around. All I can do is promise that I'll wish to die every moment after that."

Harry looked down at his hands, preparing himself to say what Draco only knew subconsciously. "I love your dad, Scorpius. I want to make him happy. And you. He loves you so much, he'd never forgive me if I hurt you. Would never agree to have me if you didn't want me here too." 

Scorpius looked at him solemnly for a long time, his expression matching Draco's when Harry had first approached him as more than the dad of his son's best friend. "How does it feel to love someone so much," he finally asked.

A crooked smile formed on Harry's face, his heart in his throat as he searched for an answer that a child might understand. "Truly, Scorpius, there are no words."

 

She was a lovely girl, he had to give her that. Her hair was almost bronze and with a bit of easily maintained curl, she was a strangely perfect blending of Weasley and Granger genetics. Draco wanted to hate her, because she was the child of people he hadn't gotten on with for long years of his young life, because she was such a perfect convergence- her mother's brain and her father's mouth from what he knew- but mostly he wanted to hate her because she was there to take away his son. He desperately wanted to hate her.

But he couldn't, because if he was ever going to pick a love for his son, it really would be Rose Granger-Weasley. She was his perfect Harry.


End file.
